Toward an Ideal Security State for Northeast Asia 2025

摘要

Northeast Asia is often considered to be a 'sub-region' of East Asia or the broader Asia-Pacific. In contrast to Europe, North America, or even Southeast Asia, it is characterized by the lack of regional institutions or infrastructure. Yet, Northeast Asia is home to the world's second and third largest economies, Japan and China, and home to two of the United States most important allies in Asia, Japan and South Korea. It also is home to two of the most potentially dangerous unresolved conflicts across the demilitarized zone in Korea and across the Taiwan Straits. Four of the world's strongest powers, the United States, China, Japan and Russia, have direct interests and involvement in the region. In particular, the United States' commitment is demonstrated not just in the approximately 100,000 troops and the strong maritime presence that it maintains in the region, but also in the extensive commercial, diplomatic and civil society ties it has with nearly all countries in the region. The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, with support from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) through the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and in collaboration with the Committee on International Security and Arms Control (CISAC) of the National Academy of Sciences, organized a one-year project designed to identify the 'ideal' state of peace and security in Northeast Asia in the year 2025 and further explore issues related to that ideal. The project commenced November 1, 2008 and involved two primary activities, a strategy session in Montana and an international workshop involving experts from throughout the region in Kanazawa, Japan.